The Taj

After an early 4:15 AM wake up call, we boarded the train to Agra. In Agra, we had the privilege of seeing the magnificent Taj Mahal. To say that we were all awestruck at the beauty of the Taj Mahal was an understatement. All of the marble and stone work was so intricately done, and I was amazed how people built the Taj Mahal so long ago. We also visited many other places such as the Agra Fort. Our guide was able to give us insight into why each place was constructed, which I also found interesting. For example, the Taj Mahal was built as a memorial to the Mogul Emperor, Shah Jahan’s, wife. The Taj Mahal continues to symbolize the love they shared. It was interesting to see how each of the different places we visited memorialized the past. At the Taj Mahal and other tourist attractions in Agra, many beggars approached us. The look of desperation on the faces boys and girls from the ages of 5 to 60 was shocking and sad. I felt guilty when I would say no to “vendors” trying to sell me items for 100 Rupees (under $2), but at the same time, one of our facilitators, Tara, explained how much of the money given to beggars is actually given to a “mafia.” Although most of us did not purchase items from the beggars, we did contribute. On the early morning train, the hotel packed us a large breakfast that some of us did not eat, so we gave our leftover food to people outside of the train station. Our day was extremely busy and hard at some points, but it was an experience that none of us will ever forget.

Throughout our time in Delhi, we took three Bollywood dance classes. At first, Bollywood dancing seemed incredibly challenging and it seemed like some of us would never get it. Despite my lack of dancing ability and coordination, by the end, we were all able to dance all of the three dances that our instructor taught us. Our instructor, Sahej, was extremely personable and an amazing teacher. He contributed to making the dance classes something to look forward to, and we all had an amazing time. Although the classes were tiring (my back and my legs still hurt!), our group was able to bond over funny moments in Bollywood dance class. At the end of our last Bollywood dance class, we performed the three dances we learned to our trip coordinator, Anita, and Ms. Buko. Anita and Ms. Buko were so impressed by how quickly we picked up the Bollywood movements, and performing all of our new dance moves was a blast. I will never forget the experiences shared in Bollywood dance class, and for me at least, learning how to do Bollywood dances was one of the highlights of my trip. We all loved it so much that we are thinking about taking a Bollywood dance class back home! So far each day has been better than the next, and this trip has truly made me grateful for all I have. In addition, it has made me want to give back to less fortunate people to make a difference in the world.

 -Caroline Menkes